The voiceless pokémon trainer
by Vuurvlieg
Summary: It is time for ten-year-old Ash Ketchum to start his pokémon journey! Or isn't it? Something is different. Will it stop the aspiring pokémon master from accomplishing his dreams?
1. Chapter 1

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**The voiceless pokémon trainer**

**Chapter 1**

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_Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle... Each of them is available for the new trainers... _

A ten-year-old boy with jet black hair, wearing light green pajamas silently watched from the top of his bed as professor Oak continued his lecture from the television screen in his room. If things had been different he knew he would be jumping by now. He'd probably have told the empty room 'how he would be the greatest pokémon master ever' at least once already, and be so excited that he would probably only fall asleep some time in the early morning. The professor's voice droned on in grave, important sounding tones but the boy was no longer listening, staring blankly to the wall behind the television. The room he was occupying was very nice, especially for the bedroom of a boy his age. He had a computer, a television, an enormous amounth of pokémon gadgets and his walls were filled with posters. Most of them were showing off different kinds of pokémon but there was also one announcing the indigo pokémon league with bold letters. That particular poster was located on the wall behind the television where the flat brown eyes of the rooms occupant were wandering now. When he caught himself watching it the eyes glared and their owner abruptly stood up from his bed and crossed the room, shutting off the television halfway through the program. He already knew everything the professor could possibly be talking about anyway. Even if he really didn't need to know. It was useless for him to know... The boy didn't need his mother to tell him to go to bed today like he would usual and he would not be too excited to go to sleep. And he most certainly would not be bragging out loud about his awesome future as a pokémon trainer. Not in the last place because he couldn't. Ash Ketchum had been unable to utter a sound for two years now...

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Ash woke up early but didn't move from beneath his blankets. He stayed bed for another two hours, just staring at the ceiling, before finally throwing the blanket off of him. He was lazy. He really loved to sleep. But on this day he simply didn't want to face the world. Still, he had too much energy to stay in bed any longer so Ash Ketchum finally got up at a completely normal time. It was a Saturday, which usually meant his mom would stay in bed extra long. But today, when Ash left his room, dressed in his jeans, black t-shirt and blue vest with his whistle around his neck, he was met with his mom already there, waiting for him with breakfast.

It was the kind of breakfast he usually only got on birthdays and special occasions and it included waffles and pancakes and juice and even some chocolate. The kind of stuff that would normally have him drooling. And through the entire meal his mom didn't stop smiling once. She talked small talk, asked Ash about school and all in all tried painfully hard to act like things were normal. Not that she usually didn't talk small talk. She did it all the time at that but Ash could still tell. His mother hadn't forgotten what today would, _should_ have been. The way she talked to him today. It reminded him of their talks back in the beginning. Back when she had just started having these one-sided conversations with her son. Conversations in which she was the only one making a sound with a son who had formerly been incapable of silence. It had been really awkward for a while and today was almost as bad…

Ash wasn't really hungry, something that happened only on very rare occasions, but he still ate everything on his plate, signing his replies to his mother as he chewed. One of the advantages of sign language was that he could still talk while he was eating without giving everyone in the vicinity a view of what was in his mouth, thus being considered impolite. When Ash had still been capable of talking, his love of food had had gotten him in trouble often in that department.

The boy finished quickly, and then immediately stood up, quickly signing that he would be at professor Oaks place. Before his mom could start protesting, which he knew she would, he was already in the hall, taking only a moment to grab his white with red hat from the hanger before spurting outside. He ran across the street slightly faster then usual, his whistle bumping up and down on his chest as he sped around the corner only to stop abruptly. He slowly released his breath before slowly continueing on, a good deal slower then before. He went to professor Oaks place almost every day these days.

Eight-year-old Ash Ketchum had lost his voice only weeks after he had been allowed into the professors 'trainer preparation class'. It had been his dream to be a pokémon trainer for as long as he could remember and he had been incredibly excited. The class had been filled with seven more kids his age with the same dream, some of which wouldn't finish the class but little Ash had known that he would. Or he had thought he had known. Kids weren't allowed to leave their normal schooling to go on their pokémon journey until after they completed a training program like this. There had been plenty of boring parts in those few classes he had followed but if it helped him to become the greatest trainer ever Ash hadn't had a problem with it. But then he had lost his voice and his mother had pulled him from the class. She had good reasons to do so and had explained them all, several times. If Ash went on a journey, then how would he talk to people? Would everyone just wait for him to write everything down? It wasn't like everyone just 'happened' to know sign language like professor Oak did. And professor Oak was the kind of rare person who knew almost everything, or so it was explained to him. Ash and his mother had learned sign language too of course. But then again, it wasn't like they had had much of a choice. Ash had hated it. He would, in fact, have flatly refused to learn. However, if he wanted to be capable of speaking in some limited way, he had to learn. So learn he did.

Another problem was that the boy would be utterly incapable of calling for help should he really need it. It was the reason why Ash always carried a whistle around his neck but this was not even close to a complete solution. Around Pallet town people knew what it meant when they heard his whistle. The town wasn't that big and as the only 'dumb' kid around Ash was fairly well known. But outside his town, his whistle would sooner be seen as very shrill air pollution then as a call for help. It would mostly go ignored unless someone would come out to complain about the noise.

Ash clenched his fists, digging his nails deep into his palms, as he walked. A pout firmly on his face. He knew that... He knew that already! And there was one other reason, one that no one had said out loud but one he could still read on their faces. Who had ever heard of a 'dumb' pokémon trainer? A breeder maybe, or someone who studied them but a not a trainer. How could someone like voiceless little Ash Ketchum be in a pokémon battle anyway? The kid couldn't tell a pokémon how to attack. He couldn't tell them anything. The very idea of him batteling was ridiculous! Ash's glare stayed firmly on the ground as he walked.

Though he had been told to give up his dreams, the darkhaired boy still came to the pokémon research laboratory almost every day. And he was allowed in too. Behind the laboratory was a large piece of land, mostly forest, that was the home of many kinds of pokémon. That was the place where Ash spend most of his time. When it had been decided, soon after the 'incident', that Ash wouldn't need to go to a special school he had been happy and his mother relieved. It wasn't like the boy really needed special education anyway since, unlike most of the people who had the same disability, there was nothing wrong with his hearing. He wasn't called on in class to answer questions except sometimes to write something on the blackboard and got some extra homework to make up for that. If he wanted to ask something he could write it down. The dumb boy's work was checked more thoroughly then the work of the other kids because of his lack of participation in class to make sure he was keeping up and this method worked well as Ash didn't have any major problems with his schoolwork. No, the problem lay elsewhere. Ash had had a lot of friends before. He hadn't been 'popular' per se but he was an energetic and easy to like kid and the other children had always seen him as fun to play with. But those kids weren't going to learn sign language. That would be too much of a hassle. Having someone around who never answers back when you talk to them, someone who has to go look for paper to write everything down while his handwriting wasn't even that good. It got old fast and Ash had heard his classmates agree with each other that people who never said anything at all were just creepy.

So, with no one left to play with, Ash spend most of his time behind professor Oaks laboratory. Looking at the pokémon and playing by himself. Professor Oak often let him watch as he worked with the pokémon, explaining things to the silent boy all the while. Grownups talked more to him now. Ash supposed that having someone around who couldn't interrupt you without resorting to physical contact would have that effect. Sign language worked only with his mom and professor Oak and even they could calmly finish their sentence since there was no other sound stopping them from doing so and Ash would just have to listen. The boy suspected that he had learned far more from the professor by now then the kids who went to his trainer class. The class he had been in. The class that 'graduated' today and would get their first pokémon. The class that would probably leave on their pokémon journey immediately after and Ash was jealous. Jealous, angry, sad all at once. he understood, oh he understood how he couldn't go. But that didn't take the wish away, the desire, the _dream._

No matter how slow he walked, at this point, if the dim brown eyes would have left the ground, they could have easily detected the home of the professor. It could almost be called masochism to go there today. How did he know that word again? Probably from the adults that always went on blabbering to him. It was a bad idea, he really should have stayed at home. But he didn't want to look at his mother's strained face as she pretended that today was normal. And, even though he understood.

_he did, he really did._

Today was the day he would have become a pokémon trainer. And his mom was the one who had ultimately decided that he couldn't. So today, he didn't want to be at home. He also didn't want to walk through the town, where people still looked at him sometimes like he was some kind of rare pokémon.

_"See that kid? He can't talk! I saw him use sign language the other day."_

Ash hated those people. It wasn't like he was blind or deaf! So the town was out and he couldn't go to a classmate's house either so there was only one place left to go. The forest behind the laboratory was Ash's favorite place and most of the time it was his alone. The professor came there but he was busy most of the time and Ash knew that he'd be especially busy today.

_Ignore why. Ignore, ignore..._

And, besides the professor, it was pretty rare for anyone to show up. So if he could just get through the laboratory to the back door with everyone leaving him alone he'd be fine. The new trainers would probably have finished getting their pokémon right about now anyway. It was almost noon.

A voice broke him out of his thoughts. A shrill, very sarcastic voice and the very voice that the dark haired boy wanted to hear the least right now. For the first time Ash noticed that he was almost at the stairs that led to the professors house. And he'd somehow managed to make his way through a mass of people without noticing. A sigh. It figured. His eyes left the ground for the first time since he left home and were met with the very unwelcome sight of the one and only Gary Oak. A sight that was, if possible, made even more unwelcome by the dozen of squealing cheerleaders hanging around him.

Gary was the only kid Ash knew that didn't mind talking to someone who couldn't answer him back. In any other case that would have been a good thing. In any other case...

"Hey Ashy dumb! You're a bit late, all the good pokémon have already been taken!"

Which wasn't this one. And Ash glared. He glared as hard as he could at the cocky boy before him, his fists clenched at his side because he couldn't do anything else.

"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot. They don't give pokémon to dumb people, it would be irresponsible!"

Ash's glare only got deeper and he gritted his teeth. He wanted to punch the smug face in front of him. He really did, but he had tried to attack Gary once before after being provoked like this. Only once and it had been a fairly long time since then but Ash didn't think anything would change if he tried it again. Gary was still bigger than him and probably, still stronger than him. And then there was the amount of people around him who were all here for Gary. Ash wasn't the brightest kid in the world but he could see how tackling Gary to the ground right now would be a bad idea. Sthill, that didn't make him want to do so any less. Ash wished that he could say something back. Make Gary out to be everything from an alien to dog shit. But even if he had still had control of his voice Ash doubted that it would have changed anything in the way they interacted. Gary would probably only like the fact that he could scream out his anger then. In fact, Ash knew it wouldn't matter. Gary Oak had always been the exact same way, even when Ash could still talk. So, in a twisted way, Gary was the only person Ash knew with whom it didn't matter that he couldn't talk. But Gary made it very hard for him to appreciate that.

"But luckily people like me are here to give these girls something to cheer for!"

The girls started squealing again, forcing Ash to put his hands over his ears. Squeals. Really. What was it with these girls? Ash snorted, some of his anger making place for barely concealed amusement as his hands left his ears to sign to Gary, ignoring all the people around him for the moment.

Some sounds had started to seem a whole lot more irritating to Ash after he couldn't make them anymore but this was over the top. Really, why did someone like him loose his voice if there were girls like these making that terrible sound? Even in his loudest moments Ash didn't think he had been quite that bad.

While screaming at Gary had never achieved anything with the spiky haired bully, for Ash it had allowed him express his anger. Something he missed dearly. Attacking Gary was out of the question as it only got him bruises and the anger of his mother so with nothing else left he had started signing to Gary about a year ago. It was somewhat like cursing to someone who speaks a different language. Made especially funny because Ash was the only one who could follow everything that was said between them. So he signed.

"Really Gary, if sounds like that are the reward for being a person like you maybe it's good that I'm not one since I might be dumb but I'm not quite ready to be deaf yet!"

Ash grinned, his eyes coming alive and, just for a moment, feeling like he had gotten one over the other boy even if he was the only one who knew it. But Gary simply glanced down and made a motion as if to start imitating the soundless boy's movements in exaggeration. A favorite way of mocking Ash, but then he stopped.

"I would show you, once again, how ridiculous your finger wiggling looks because I am such a charitable person. "

The boy held up his hand, enlarging a brand new pokéball and Ash was back to trying to glare holes into the other.

"But I don't want to drop my precious pokémon so It'll have till another time!"

Gary made a motion as if to dismiss a servant and walked away right past Ash who also turned around to keep glaring at him for as long as possible. Maybe, if he just kept at it long enough, the redhead would burst into flames. And was promptly trampled by the horde of people, all in a hurry to follow Gary.

"_Thank you all for coming to see history in the making! Now I, Gary Oak, am off to learn the ways of the pokémon trainer!"_

Ash stayed on the ground until the last of the girls squeals had died away in the distance before slowly picking himself up, his hat pulled down, hiding his face. He had glared at Gary like he did normally. It had been the same insults as always. Just like always. Except...

He raised his head to look down the road where Gary Oak, his bully and ever-present pain-in-the-ass, had disappeared. On his way to become a pokémon master. Ash's dark eyes were full of tears. He pulled his hat back down. Suddenly he didn't want to go to the forest anymore. He just wanted to go back to bed and sleep. And then pretend this day had never happened. That the last couple of years had been just a bad dream. Ash stepped away from the door, intending to go back home.

"Ash, you are here! Just in time."

Professor Oak. Really, what was it with his plans today? Ash wiped furiously at his face, hopefully erasing the traces that he had been crying. Then he turned around and came face to face with the enthusiastic visage of one of the greatest pokémon expert of the world. The professor didn't seem to notice anything odd and continued his monologue.

" I want to show you something." The professor grinned at Ash widely. "Come on in! I was actually a bit worried that you wouldn't come by today so I'm happy I was wrong. "

An overwhelmed Ash was pulled up the stairs and into the building. What could the professor possibly have to show him on a day like today? He dragged his feet as he followed the professor to his lab, stairing to the ground all the way but on the inside he was curious. It could only be about pokémon after all so it was a given that is interest was sparked. When they reached the lab the professor lead Ash straight to a plateau with glass protection over it that Ash knew to hold three pokéballs. he should know, he was here almost every day. And as dark eyes looked at them he also knew those three balls to be empty now. Ash clenched his fists again but outwardly he tried not to show his turmoil. Whether the professor noticed or not was unclear, but if he did he ignored it. Instead he came to stand next to the boy and pushed a button on the side of the plateau. The glass shifted away and a previously hidden compartment in the middle opened. And a pokéball came out. Ash looked at the pokéball curiously. It looked mostly normal except for the small lightning bolt engraved on it. Would a pokémon already be inside? Hadn't all the new trainers already picked up their pokémon? For as far as Ash knew there were only three new trainers but he had no more time to wonder about it as the professor picked up the pokéball and without further ado handed it to Ash. The boy looked at the ball. Looked at up to the professor and back to the ball again. And then, without taking his eyes off the ball he signed to ask for an explanation, barely capable of suppressing the hope that was rising up in him.

The professor looked down fondly upon the child, who had unofficially become the most dedicated student of his trainer class, and then he answered.

"This is the final pokémon I had planned to entrust to a new trainer." However, since there have been some problems with this one and there were only three graduates this year I decided, in the end, not to let one of them take him. I want to entrust him to you."

The boy slowly raised his head, looking up at him with wide brown eyes, his hands trembled so badly that he could barely sign. "Really?" The professor smiled and nodded. "You have learned so much this year that I felt that this responsibility..." And that was as far as he got because Ash had already stopped listening. Instead the boy was jumping up and down and running circles through the room in joy. He stopped in front of the professor, smiled, showed him his pokéball and then made to run off with it.

"Now wait just a minute young man!"

The hyperactive boy was immediately stopped in his tracks by the voice. He turned back to the professor, making sure to look properly ashamed but still hiding his pokéball behind his back so it couldn't be taken away from him. The professor sighted. How a kid that never said a single word could make such a racket was beyond him.

"Since you're going to take care of a pokémon you will need this too. " He handed Ash a pokédex. "This is especially handy in your case since you will not need to ask as many questions to others, at least on this subject. You already know how it works don't you?" Ash nodded wordlessly, which was normal, and signlessly. The professor nodded back at him. Good. Then you can take your new pokémon home. He smiled slightly to the boy. Ash's mind however, was already somewhere else and the boy glanced in the direction where the professor had gotten the pokédex.

Ash was so happy that he thought he might burst. He hadn't been this excited in years. But something else had woken up again with that happiness. Want. The passion to reach for his dream was starting to burn again inside of him. A passion that had been lost for some time now because of his inability to act on it. There were certain basics you needed if you wanted to be a pokémon trainer and Ash understood that very well. Also, to this day, no one had been able to convince Ash that his voice was one of those basics. He understood what everyone told him, he understood above all that that was what _they_ believed so no one was going to provide him, a voiceless child, with the basics a trainer needed. At least, not until he was an adult.

The basics according to Ash included just two things, a pokémon and pokéballs. Without a pokémon to start out with you weren't a trainer at all and you couldn't do anything. Without pokéballs... well that spoke for itself. Ash had learned his lessons well. Even if it was possible to buy pokéballs in the different towns, if you weren't an official trainer they were hard to get and without an address to send them to, if you went over the limit of six pokémon you were pretty much stranded as a trainer. But now... Ash already had one of his 'two basics'. And the most important one at that. He had a Pokémon! The strong impulse to strike a winning pose and to shout at the top of his lungs: "Pokémon, I choose you!" overtook him. Unfortunately that was quite impossible. Ash looked at the small red device in his left hand. He even had something that would allow him to be recognized as a trainer, a pokédex. He looked up. And there, on the table, right next to the place where the pokédex had been, was the second basic. A belt with five pokéballs. It was just a few meters away.

The professor looked at the boy curiously as the emotions crossed the young face in quick succession. Happiness end excitement were of course recognizable. But there was more there. Before he could ask Ash what was wrong however, the doorbell rang. He sighted, told the kid he'd be right back and went to open the door.

Brown eyes with a spark in them stared at the door. The professor was gone. But he'd be back soon and Ash wanted to be a pokémon master. He would become a pokémon master! The fire in his eyes brightened and its intensity spread across his face.

_Permission wasn't one of the basics needed to become a pokémon trainer!_

_Strong b_rown eyes, dark with determination, focused on the pokeball's once again as a ten-year-old boy chose his path for the second time. The sound of his mother's voice reached his ears from the hallway, so she had been the one to ring the doorbell. Ash nodded to himself, he had to hurry...

In his mind he made the vow he would have made yesterday had things been different. Unconsciously signing along as he made it.

_I hereby declare to the pokémon of the world I will be a pokémon master! _

-TBC-

**This story just jumped into my head and I simply couldn't 'not' write it down. Which may be a bad thing looking at the amount of stories I still have to finish but it can't be helped. **

**So ****I hope it's nice to read and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Just to mention beforehand:**

**This story will start out following the origional storyline (this chapter is written almost entirely according to that) but changes will take place and they will build up kind of fast**** as Ash changes as a trainer. Some 'episodes' from the anime will still happen in some way. Which ones will probably ones I like if I feel like it and at the beginning the pokémon will also be somewhat the same but it will change. For one thing, I don't think I'll have Misty tag along this time since she talks too much. Don't get me wrong, I think she is a fun character all around but only if Ash can actually argue back and I need him to build some confidence. Still not sure what I'll do with Brock. Well, enough of that and let's start again. **

**Everyone have fun!**

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**The voiceless pokémon trainer**

**Chapter 2**

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Ash was breathing heavily. He had sneaked through a window to avoid the two grownups and ran the whole way home. His pokéballs, including the one that already contained a pokémon, and pokédex were pressed against his chest so tightly that one would think someone was going to steal them from him. Which someone may very well do seeing as Ash had done exactly that with at least some of the objects.

When he had reached his home he had immediately started packing. His room was a mess. In his hurry to finish before his mom got home Ash had pulled out almost everything he owned in his effort to decide what he had to bring at the very last minute. It was not as hard as it maybe should have been for a boy his age as Ash had fantasized about leaving to go on his pokémon jouney many times before. However it was still hard to guess what he was going to need. Still, he was done. Finally. After packing and unpacking three times straight Ash had finally decided he was done and ready to go. Just one thing left.

The boy looked at the letter in his hand, took another deep breath and placed it on the kitchen table together with about one third of his pocket money. In his letter he asked his mother to give the money to professor Oak to pay for the pokéballs he had taken. The rest of his money was safely hidden in his backpack. The dark haired boy frowned, wondering once more if he really had everything but then put the worries out of his mind. He could 'hopefully' call back later for things he missed and his mom could send them to him. He wasn't running away after all. He was just starting his pokémon journey! With that thought firmly in his head Ash opened the door and stepped outside.

He looked up at the sky, allowing the sun to shine fully on his face, and smiled with excitement. He was going! He was wearing his belt with his pokéballs, he had his backpack on his back and his pokédex in his pocket. He was a pokémon trainer and he was taking his first steps to become a pokemon master! Ash took a deep breath and then put his foot forward. He walked away from his house and down the street, in the opposite direction from professor Oaks lab. At the corner of the street he stopped an turned to look back one final time. Dark eyes taking in every last detail of his home. A somewhat sad look broke through the young excitement filled face of Ash Ketchum. Only for a moment. The street was empty. No one was seeing him off like Gary and no one was cheering for him because nobody believed he could do it. But...

His face hardened with determination. When he came back everyone would be there to greet him and congratulate him for sure. And nobody would be able to say that Ash couldn't be a trainer anymore! He nodded to the empty street and then raised his hand as if to wave goodbye and signed.

_"Watch me..."_

With that the young trainer turned his back to his home and walked around the corner, no longer looking back.

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Ash had been walking for several hours already and was now resting with his back against one of the trees on the side of the road to viridian city, his backpack next to him. The boy was busy studying a map. He was really happy he hadn't forgotten it since asking for directions was something he'd rather not have to deal with given the experience he had with it. People were usually far more interested in the fact that he couldn't talk then in answering his questions. And even that was if they answered him at all. Ash uttered a sight as he put the map away, having memorized most of the directions to the next city. Then he took out a pokéball and held it in front of his face. Staring at it as if doing so would somehow allow him to look inside.

Ash had realized one very important detail about this particular pokéball as he left his home town. In all the rushing and excitement he had completely forgotten to ask the professor what pokémon was inside! All the professor had told him was that there had been 'problems' with this pokémon which was why he hadn't given it to one of the other rooky trainers. So if Ash called said pokémon out, what would happen? Several visions of violent pokémon chasing him played through his head. What if it was a scizor? Or an onix? Ash shivered at the thought of what would happen if such a pokémon decided it didn't like him. It was really too bad he couldn't use the pokédex on a closed pokéball. The boy got to his feet and gulped, trying to prepare himself. This had to be one of the scariest things he had ever done. Ash threw the pokéball...

and immediately hid behind the tree. From there he watched as an intense yellow light came from his pokéball and struck the ground, taking shape.

"Pi ka chu!"

Ash blinked and barely remembered to catch the rebounding pokéball as he stepped away from the tree. He looked at 'his' pokémon with wide eyes. Said pokémon looked back at him with something close to boredom. It was yellow an about as big as a squirtle. It looked a bit like a mouse and had red cheeks and glinstering black eyes and above anything else...it was _really_ cute!

Ash grinned. He had definitely gotten the best pokémon of them all! He hurried forward, reaching his pokémon and immediatly bowed down to pick it up. With a delighted expression on his face he hugged the little mouse against him. That turned out to be a bad idea.

"Pi-ka-CHUUUUUUUU!!!"

Electricity coursed through every cell of his body and if Ash had been capable of yelling in pain he most certainly would have. Luckily the attack didn't last very long and Ash landed on his butt with a gasp, immediately letting go of the little mouse that had now been identified as an electric type. The pokémon jumped a few feet away from him and looked at Ash with what could only be described as a smug expression. More then a bit stunned Ash stuck his hand in his pocket and took out his pokédex, that luckiely was water, heat and shock proof, pointing it.

_"Pikachu, the electric mouse pokémon. It's usually shy but can sometimes have an electrifying personality."_

The boys face broadcasted his thought to such an extent that he might as well have said them aloud. "Why didn't it say so earlier?" The electric pokémon, which had now gained the name Pikachu, took one look at his face and started giggling. Yes, this pokémon had no trouble at all expressing just how funny it thought his supposed trainer was, even if the only syllables it could express were those of its name. Ash gritted his teeth and took the pokéball, stiffly throwing it to call the little monster back. But it seemed said little monster had other ideas and bounced the ball back with its tail. Ash frowned and tried again, with the same result. Pikachu clearly didn't feel like disappearing into the ball like a proper pokémon just yet. So what next?

Ash was now wishing that he had packed rubber gloves or something that kept out electricity, something he had often seen professor Oak use while handling electric pokémon. If he had he would have at least been able to carry this Pikachu. Unfortunately Ash hadn't brought anything like that and like this he couldn't continue on since this pokémon probably wouldn't follow him. He wanted to tell this Pikachu that Ash was its trainer and that it should therefore listen to him. But he couldn't and he doubted that the little pokémon knew sign language. The notebook he always carried in his pocket in case he had to talk to people also didn't help much in a case like this since the idea that this pikachu could read somehow managed to be even less likely than it knowing sign language. Ash glared at his pokédex in frustration, this thing also wasn't much help in a case like this. Or was it? With a sudden bout of inspiration Ash kneeled in the grass, next to 'his' pokémon, and showed it the pokédex, pushing a couple of buttons.

_"This pokédex belongs to pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum from Pallet town."_

Relieved the professor had for some reason programmed into it that he was a trainer, Ash grinned at the pikachu with some difficulty as he was still hurting from pikachu's electricity and pointed first to himself, then to Pikachu and then to the pokéball. Hopefully making clear what he meant. The little yellow mouse looked at Ash as if the human boy had somehow run away from a mental institution with the straightjacket still on. This human was obviously crazy! But even so, it understood what the crazy boy tried to say and very deliberately Pikachu shook his head.

"Pika!"

And then it started washing itself, completely ignoring its so-called 'trainer'. That was a clear no. Ash slumped. He wanted to ask what was wrong. If the pikachu maybe didn't like him? Why it was acting like this? But the only way of catching the electric mouse's attention at this moment seemed to involve touching it and Ash didn't want to risk being electrecuted again just jet. Seeing no other way to make himself clear Ash turned once again to the "pokédex" for help.

"_While being trained a pokémon usually stays inside it's pokéball."_

Ash held up Pikachu's pokéball as if to say, "There, you see?" Pikachu, seemingly capable of understanding human language and machinery just fine, jumped and pushed another button on the pokédex.

_"However, there are many exceptions. Some pokémon hate being confined."_

A bit of understanding started to dawn and Ash's face brightened. Maybe that was what was wrong! See, he could figure this out! Ash nodded to the pikachu who was still watching him like you might watch someone who is dangerously insane, and very deliberately put the pokéball away. Then held up his empty hands with a smile as if to ask, "All right now?" The pikachu turned its head away, looking fairly insulted that Ash thought he would have it that easy.

"Pi!"

Ash sighted. And let himself fall to the ground again. He really felt clueless. Then the sound of rustling in the grass pulled his attention. "Prrgy!" A small bird pokémon moved into Ash and Pikachu's field of vision. It was a pigdgey! It was one of pokémon easiest to recognise for Ash but he pointed his pokédex nevertheless.

_"Pidgey is a flying pokémon. Of all the flying pokémon it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. A perfect target for the beginning poké__mon trainer to test his pokémons skills."_

Perfect! It seemed like things were looking up! Ash looked at his pikachu and seeing he had his attention he pointed his fist at the pidgey as if telling him to attack it. This time the boy was absolutely sure that 'his' pokémon had understood what he meant. But pikachu just turned around...

"Chu. "

and promptly took off into the tree under which his 'trainer' had been sitting before. In no time it all it had climed onto branch, a fair distance out of Ash's reach, clearly pleased with its position. leaving the boy that had tried to command it stairing.

Now Ash might be the 'proud' owner of quite some patience for a boy his age. As he had lived for two years without his voice he had more or less been forced to build some immunity to the slowness of people who just wouldn't get what he was trying to tell them. But even he had his limits. He glared at the small yellow pokémon that was now yawning to the sky and started signing angrily, unconsciously treating the pokémon as he would Gary when he was picking on him again.

"Okay, I get the message! I don't want your help, or need it. I can get that thing all by myself!"

The pikachu seemed pretty amused at the finger wiggling that the crazy human was doing now but Ash no longer took notice of it and directed his attention to the Pidgey he had determined would be his target and took out a pokéball. It probably wouldn't work. But this pidgey looked weak. Ash figured he'd only know if he tried. He threw the pokéball.

It hit the pidgey dead on. The pokémon disappeared into the ball but the boy didn't relax. With clenched fists he waited to see what would happen. The pokéball fell to the ground and trembled wildly and then burst open again, releasing its captive.

"Prrgey!"

The bird pokémon walked away into the high grass. Ash sighted as he put his pokéball away. Well, at least he had tried. And who knows, maybe it would go better next time? He grabbed his pokédex 'again'. Maybe this thing would have some kind of tip for a situations like these. In the background, he could hear the pikachu had started laughing again.

_'To capture a pokémon you 'usually' let your own pokémon battle with the other. '_

Ash pouted at the 'piece of advanced machinery'. He knew that already! But he had to do it all by himself! He send a sideward glare to the pikachu that seemed find great delight in his struggles. His bag was still beneath that tree as well. Wait a minute? The boy hurried back to the tree and picked up his bag feeling through it till he found a decently large t-shirt. He threw the bag back to the tree and once again directed his attention to the pidgey and carefully moved towards it. It hadn't gone very far just yet. Just three more steps and he's be close enough. Just two... one... The pidgey looked up and Ash froze in his tracks, their eyes meeting. Low level pokémon and rooky trainer observed each other for several seconds. The Pidgey completely calm and Ash trying to deny with his eyes that he was even there. Then he dived.

For about 5 seconds the boy thought he had done it. The pidgey was fighting of course, it was damn hard to hold down and only just fit under the T-shirt but Ash thought that If he kept this up he'd be able to wear it down. And then an enormous outward force pushed him into the air.

The winds threw the boy to the ground several meters back. Ash landed heavily and winced, this was going to leave bruises. What the hell happened just now?

_Pidgey's gus__t power creates tornados. It also has a sand-attack._

The pokedex informed him from his pocket. Ash only barely had the time to look up at the pidgey in horror as it flew off, leaving a wave of sand in its wake which covered the young trainer. Ash coughed, trying to get the sand out of his mouth. This really wasn't his day. Even worse, pidgey was supposed to be only a beginner pokémon. Behind him pikachu's snickering got slightly louder. The boy looked back angrily but paused at the unnatural movements his backpack was making. He ran back in a hurry an a small purple pokémon shot out of his bag and ran away. The boy pointed his pokédex.

_A forest pokémon, Ratata. It likes cheese, fruits, nuts and berries._

Ash glared at his surroundings. And this wasn't even a forest! While it was true there were some trees this place was definitly an open field. He was about the shove the faulty device into his pocket when it felt the need to ad something.

It also comes out into open fields to steal food from 'stupid' travelers…

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite as faulty as it seemed but it certainly had a smart mouth, Ash stuffed it in his pocket angrily. He wasn't stupid! A glance upwards revealed that the pikachu was laughing so hard by now that it almost fell from it's branch. And as if to mock the young wannabe trainer, at about 10 meters from him another three pidgey's appeared. That was it! Enough! Ash bowed down, grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it at the pidgey with all of his strength. It didn't hit anything but id did chase the bird pokémon away and it calmed the boy down somewhat. Though certainly not completely so when he saw the shadow of another bird pokémon in the grass he decided to try again. The boy picked up a rock, aimed it carefully, and trew it. This time it actually hit, right on the head at that and Ash took a moment to celebrate his first 'little' succes of the day. Maybe if he did it another few times he would do enough damage to catch it? And then the pokémon turned around.

It clearly wasn't a pidgey. Its head was brown, its body mostly black with red wings and it's beak was bigger and looked a lot more dangerous then the beak of a pidgey. Also the aggressive look in its angry eyes didn't leave a doubt about its appreciation for the rock that had left a bumb on his head. Ash however ignored the warning signs and looked at the pokémon with interest, taking his pokédex back out.

Unlike the pidgey, the spearow has a terrible additude. It is very wild and will sometimes attack other pokémon and humans.

"Oh ow." Resounded in every corner of the boy's mind, panic was building fast. He turned around as fast as he could and started running back to the tree. The spearow meanwhile took to the air and turned to Ash to attack. It dove at him with a wild hostility and Ash made a dive for his bag the sharp beak only missing him by an inch. He quickly got up again, just in time to meet the next attack. The ten-year-old swung his backpack wildly at the aggressive bird as it came in for another attack again and again. He managed, more because of luck then skill, not to be hit by the angry creature. The spearow dove at him again and Ash this time hid behind the tree in which Pikachu was watching it all with great interest.

The boy paid careful attention as the spearow rose from his dive and turned around. If he payed attention to the flightpath he would probably be able use the tree as a shield again. But the spearow didn't aim at him this time, it was aiming somewhere above him. For a moment Ash was relieved. Maybe it had finally lost interest? But a cry from above him chased away the feeling. Ash stepped away from the tree to get a good view. His heart beating loudly in his chest. His pikachu was still on the same branch but it was now rapidly being attacked by the spearow. Why? It hadn't thrown the rock!

"Wild pokémon tent to see human trained pokémon as enemies."

The pokédex had a nice tendency to answer questions without Ash having to ask them but in this case the answer was not something he wanted to hear. Ash wanted to scream at the bird, tell it to leave his pokémon alone. But he couldn't. Never before had his dumbness rendered him this helpless. Ash started jumping up and down, he waved his arms wildly, trying his utmost best get the spearow to pay attention to him.

It didn't even spare him a glance. It just continued its attacks without pause. Pikachu looked scared, and even Ash his inexperienced eyes could see it was only barely managing to dodge the attacks. He had to do something! The dumb boy took his whistle, his faithful last resolve, took a deep breath and blew it as hard as he could.

The sound was very loud and shrill, a pain to anyone who heard it and its harshness caused the two pokémon to stop what they were doing. Pikachu covered its ears wit its paws as fast and glared down to the human that was the source of that terrible sound. And this was the first sound it had made all day! The spearow had also broken of its attack and its angry eyes were once again directed to the dark haired boy on the ground. Ash blew until he had no air left and then, seeing he had the spearows attention he started waving his arms wildly once again. The spearow seemed to be focussed on him now as it dove at him once again. But then it changed its direction.

Ash's brown eyes grew wide as he took in the scene and saw what would happen. Pikachu was still distracted and the rookie trainer had no way to warn it. No way at all. All he could do was watch as the spearow attacked his unsuspecting pokémon.

The spearows attack almost struck but at the last possible moment pikachu noticed. It tried to dodge and it almost succeded but not entirely. The attack glanced him and Pikachu was almost trown from the branch. It barely managed to hang on and was left dangeling from the branche with no way left to dodge the next attack. The spearow attacked. As did its prey.

Pi.. ka.. CHUUUUUUUUUUU!!!

The spearow uttered a horrible screech as it was electrocuted and then fell to the ground, looking a great deal worse for wear. Ash looked at it in surprise. Wow. In the heat of the moment he had completely forgotten the weakness bird pokemons had to electricity. His pikachu was awesome! Said pikachu had come out of the tree by now and it moved next to Ash to look at the spearow. Both of them releaved that the danger was over. But then the spearow screeched.

A big tree on the other side of the field moved and a huge amount of angrily screeching pokémon took to the sky. And they all were flying straight at Ash and Pikachu.

Ash looked at pikachu, pikachu looked at Ash. As one they turned around and _ran._ Ash didn't think he had ever ran as fast in his life. His feet flew beneath him and the fields and the trees seemed like nothing but a big blur as he sprinted through them. Pikachu just behind him. The little mouse turned out to be surprisingly fast with those short legs. Still, wings would always be faster than legs and the sharp cries of the spearow were gaining on them fast. Also, Ash wasn't used to running this fast for a long time and his legs were starting to hurt. The boy was really scared now, his deep brown eyes were wide with fear and his breath was starting to get labored. Even so, he made sure to keep an eye on his pokémon. He had been unable to help Pikachu earlier, but he was still the trainer and this time...

_No matter what,__ I'll save you..._

But no sooner had this silent vow been made or Pikachu ran ahead of him even faster than before. Ash tried to up his pace to match Pikachu's but he simply couldn't go any faster. Then something hit him on the head, hard. The spearow had caught up. In no time at all the flock had surrounded the young boy, trying to peck him and flapping their wings at him but Ash didn't stop running. Still trying to find a way out. Most of the spearow didn't pay attention to him and flew ahead. At Pikachu. The small pokémon was still running ahead but more than one spearow was attacking it now and the damage was building up fast. The rooky trainer was in quite a predicament, being attacked from all directions but he still saw Pikachu collapse. The boy let out a soundless scream, forcing himself forward and he wildly started pushing away the spearow, most of which had started to gather around the small yellow body. Ash was no longer paying attention to the beaks and claws that tore into his skin and the pain they caused him. His only focus was Pikachu, lying on the ground underneath a mountain of spearow. It was almost as if they were trying to tear the smaller one apart. Ash struggled through them, fear and adrenaline spurring him on, and finally managed to reach Pikachu, kneeling down between the spearow to take it in his arms. Then he got up and immediately started running again.

The boy actually managed to build up somewhat of a lead as the spearow were surprised by the sudden disappearance of their prey. But their confusion was a short one and soon Ash could hear them closing in on him again. He was really tired now but he still refused to give up, Pikachu was depending on him! If he could just go a bit further... He forced his way through a couple of trees and bushes as fast as he could with a slight idea of losing his pursuers through the greenery, only to find himself at the edge of a cliff, right next to a waterfall.

A dead end. Trapped with a waterfall ahead and the sharp beaks of the spearow behind him. It seemed hopeless. Ash looked down at the small pokémon in his arms. Pikachu was covered in wounds and it was scarily unresponsive in comparison to the willful creature that had come out of his pokéball. It was clear that it needed a doctor as soon as possible. Ash came to a decision. He pulled his hat backwards on his head, hugged Pikachu securely against his chest, and took a deep breath. Then he stepped to the edge and jumped.

He hit the water hard but luckily it was deep enough for him not to hit the bottom. If it hadn't been that would have been the end of one very short pokémon journey. The water wasn't too cold since it was almost summer but the current was strong and his clothes and backpack didn't help matters, they pulled at his body and made it very hard to move. Also, his hands were occupied so he had to swim with just his legs. Letting go of Pikachu wasn't an option. Ash fought to reach the surface barely paying attention to the gigantic magicarp that swam by. He could hold his breath for a fairly long time but Pikachu needed air! Then the gigantic face of a gyrados came into view and Ash gasped in shock, letting go of his air. He struggled frantically against the current, trying to get out of the way of the aggressive looking pokémon and to the surface of the river at the same time. He fought the urge to take a breath. If he took a lung full of water Ash knew everything would be over, he'd drown. But the current was so strong and he was starting to feel lightheaded...

A redheaded girl about 12 years of age was sitting on a ledge at the side of the river close to Pallet town, waiting for the water-pokémon to bite. She had been here for some time but up until this point she had only caught magicarp which were pretty much useless in a pokémon battle. Even if one evolved, gyrados was about the only water-pokémon she didn't like. She had just started to wonder if maybe this just wasn't a good fishing spot when suddenly something pulled at the rod so hard that it almost flew out of her hands. The girl was focused in an instant, she grinned as she stabilized her rod.

"I've got a bite! Oh wow, I really think this could be a big one!"

With the skill of an experienced fisher she started to reel. Whatever it was sure was persistent but with one final pull it flew out of the water and onto the shore. Her first reaction to her 'catch of the day' was disappointment.

"Nah, it's just a kid..."

The boy that was now lying on the side of the river was coughing violently, expelling some water from his mouth. And then he started to take deep gulps of air. The kid was scrawny and completely drenched, as could be expected from someone who had just been fished out of the river. He tried to keep himself up with one arm as he coughed up the last bits of water, the other was around a small yellow pokémon.

"Are you okay?"

Ash looked up at the redheaded girl that had come down from her ledge when she noticed what he carried in his arms. He nodded shakily. At that the girl anger made its way onto the girls face.

"Not you! Look what you've done to that poor little thing! Is it breathing?"

Ash immediately forgot about the girl. How was Pikachu? They had been in the river for a long time. He sat up and put his hand on the small pokemons chest. He let out a sigh of relief. Pikachu was still breathing. Even so, he wasn't in good shape. Now what should he do? A shrill voice interupted his worried.

"Well don't just sit there it needs a doctor right away! There is a medical center not too far from here, you've got to get moving now!"

The pokémon centre. Of course! Ash scrambled to his feet in a hurry. How could he have forgotten about that? The professor had mentioned them more than once. There probably was one in Viridian city. But... The boy froze. He had studied the map earlier so he thought he knew what way he had to go. But what if he was wrong? He had gotten pretty disoriented because of the river and if he got lost what would happen to Pikachu? His backpack was drenched so his map was probably ruined, the same went for the notebook he used to talk to people. He looked at the girl that was looking irritated with him. Just one thing to try, maybe he would get lucky. Ash pointed into the direction that he suspected was where Viridian city was. The girl looked even angrier than before.

"Yeah, that is where you should go. Right now! Are you trying to get your pokémon killed? Get going already!"

She looked like she was about ready to blow up but Ash was so relieved he could barely keep himself from hugging her. Instead, he bowed shortly, seeing no other way to thank her without losing time. Then he turned around ready to run the whole way. A loud screeching stopped him. Brown eyes widen, he thought he had lost them! A glance backwards confirms what he already knew the moment the sound reached his ears. The spearow are back and Ash isn't really ready to bet on the far too small chance that they maybe didn't notice him. He ran at the road and grabbed the bike that was parked there. Luckily it had a basked at the front and Ash carefully placed Pikachu in it.

"Hey, what are you doing with my bike?!"

The girl again, but Ash ignored her. He just jumped on the bike and stood on the pedals, driving away as fast as he could. The girls angry screams soon disappeared in the background. She probably thought he was a thief by now but right now the boy couldn't care less. All that was important was getting away. He passed through a small patch of forest that opened up to another open field. The ground was rough and bumpy and above him the sky had darkened and the first sounds of thunder could be heard. There was a storm coming and it would be here soon.

His teeth were clenched and his eyes were wild and locked firmly on the road in front of them. They would make it, he'd make sure of it! Pikachu made a little noise and Ash wished he could reassure him but he couldn't let go of the steering handles even with one hand, the ground was too rough. He was almost at the other side of the field when something pulled his hair, the spearow had reached them again. They were flying alongside of him now, pecking him. The sharp pain caused Ash to shut his eyes, only for a moment and a moment was all it took. He didn't see the ledge in front and the bike flew right over it.

There was a moment of weightlessness, the bike bounced once onto theground that must have been at least three meters lower than their earlier location. The shock threw both Ash and Pikachu from the bike. Ash lay still in the mud for several seconds, stunned by the fall. His entire body hurt and his eyes were clenched shut. Just as he managed to open them lighting struck across the sky, lighting up the scene. Pikachu lay a few meters ahead of him on his side, staring blankly at him and with the lighting provided by the lighting is seemed like it was already dead. The boy forced himself onto his knees and crawled towards his pokémon, kneeling next to him and softly placed a hand on the small yellow body.

"Chu..."

It was barely more than a whisper. But the slight sharpening of the dull eyes told Ash that Pikachu was still conscious. Another lightning bolt split through the sky and the spearow had almost reached their prey. A few meters away lay the bike, the back wheel completely bend, it could no longer be used to escape anything with. The boy looked at Pikachu in despair. What was left? At least... At the very least he would protect Pikachu, even if it was the last thing he did. He took out Pikachu's pokéball and enlarged it in his hand. This was the only way. But since Pikachu hated this thing he couldn't just call him into it. Somehow along the way that had stopped being an option. Pikachu was now staring up at him silently.

The battered boy put down the pokéball next to the small wounded form of his first pokémon and then pointed behind them, at the rapidly approaching spearow. After that he turned back, looking Pikachu straight in the eyes, pointed at the ball and mouthed a single word.

"Hide."

He clenched his eyes shut, a tear slowly making its way across his dirty cheek. He wished he could say more. That he could somehow make this small pokémon understand he would protect him. That the ball was a safe place for now. But beyond anything, he wished he had been able to talk so he might have gotten to know Pikachu better, and maybe Pikachu would have known him. He wished he they just knew more about each other at this moment. He just hoped it would have understood that one word he had tried to say.

Ash hoisted himself to his feet and turned around. Now facing the spearow that were rapidly approaching. He opened his eyes to reveal nothing but an iron determination as they glared at the screeching swarm of bird-pokémon that was getting ready to attack. The boy spread out his arms wide. He wouldn't let a single spearow trough! In his heart he issued a challenge, his first as a pokémon trainer.

_"__Spearow, do you know who I am? My name is Ash, from the town of Pallet! I am destined to be the world's number one pokémon master! I can't be defeated by the likes of you! I am going to capture and defeat you all! So I challenge you!"_

Behind him Pikachu had slightly pushed himself up. Looking from the pokéball to the figure of the fragile boy in front of him. The boy was black and blue, completely drenched, covered with mud and bleeding from several surface wounds and all in all utterly defenseless. Still, his back was straight and his arms were spread as if he was a wall. This child would take anything that would come at him and his pokémon onto himself. The gigantic swarm of spearow was now at attacking distance and all of them started their dive at the same time, pointing their sharp beaks towards ash. The boy stood his ground, spreading his arms even wider than before.

_"Come and get me!"_

And Pikachu _moved. _The only warning Ash got was the small pull on his clothes as the small pokémon climbed him and he didn't even get time to be surprised as it used his shoulder to jumped straight at the spearow. That is when the lightning hit.

Lightning can almost be called alive in the way it crawls the sky, searching for the spot with the voltage that stands out the most to strike down upon. In this case that place was a small pikachu in mid-jump.

"PI-KA-CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!"

An enormous electric attack shook the earth. It was uncontrollable and struck out in all directions, lighting up the countryside till miles away and a young trainer couldn't even scream as its power blew him away. Darkness took over...

- TBC-

**If you have any hints or ideas please tell me! This story is turning out way harder to write than I thought, especially with the lack of dialogue. Especially this chapter was a pain to write since I wanted it to fit with the first episode... (I like that episode so sue me) ****Not that I'm gonna quit. It may be hard but I still really like this story, I've got more than enough ideas to last me at least another 30 chapters and I'll probably only get more. **

**I'm still thinking of good ways to have Ash communicate with his pokémon during battle. I have some ideas but I'm not quite satisfied with them yet. ****Just to mention, sign language is definitely out since you can't expect the pokémon to keep looking at the trainer during a battle. **

**Anyways, please review! Even if it is just to tell me how my writing sucks. If you can tell me why it sucks it might help me not to suck ****as much next time! :D (you know how hope springs eternal).**

**Vuurvlieg**


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